NHS waiting times
Data through May 2026. NHS source.
Varicose veins treatment is usually treated within the NHS General Surgery Service pathway. The median wait across 276 NHS trusts and independent providers reporting to the NHS is 11 weeks for the outpatient appointment, with 6 in 10 patients seen within the 18-week target. Routing note: Varicose vein treatment on the NHS requires symptoms (pain, skin changes, ulcers) — cosmetic-only cases are not funded. Treatment is usually via Vascular Surgery, which sits under General Surgery in NHS RTT data.
The national median NHS wait for Varicose veins treatment is 11 weeks as of May 2026, across 276 NHS trusts and independent providers reporting to the NHS, and 9 in 10 current patients are within 39 weeks. But the wait varies significantly between trusts — see the full ranking to find the shortest wait near you.
The median shows time waited so far by the current list — a new routine referral will often wait longer. Why these differ →
Top 10 NHS trusts publishing General Surgery Service data, ranked by shortest median wait. Want the full ranking? See all trusts on the General Surgery Service national page →
Hospitals ranked by shortest wait within travelling distance of each city.
The ranking above is national. To rank hospitals by distance from your postcode, search with your postcode below.
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